Episode 428 (18th January 1965)
Plot Swindley puts the prizes in the lucky dip barrel in the middle of the shop with a gents' watch being the star prize. Ena takes Minnie to task for failing to spot Norma Gee moving in with Len. Norma is pleased with her room and says she'll make no demands on Len. Annie is pleased that Len turned down April. Norma runs Len off his feet making him re-arrange the furniture and tidy up. Stan and Albert make a pretence of calling on Len to see about going to Saturday's football match but their real intention is to size up Norma. Len sees right through them. He is forced to buy new curtain material from Gamma at Norma's insistence. Neither Len nor Hilda are impressed with their lucky dip prizes. Stuart tells Swindley that the Mission of Glad Tidings is to be merged with the Bold Street Mission and one will have to close, though the committee can't decide which one. They agree that the caretakers must be informed. Ena gets a copy of the Rent Act to find ways to raise Elsie's rent. Ena turns down several prizes in the lucky dip until she finds ones that suit her - an egg timer and a lavender bag. Len is happy with Norma's cooking. Annie calls to inspect her and gets it out of her that she's a widow. A man calls at the Rovers asking if anyone's seen his missing wife. Ena calls at No.11 and is handed a list of repairs that are needed. Ena agrees to them but in return tells a shocked Elsie that her rent will go up by twenty shillings a week. Stan thinks the description of the missing wife sounds like Norma - the man confirms his name is Harry Gee but no one lets on that they know where Norma is, though Annie thinks they should. Stan worries what he'll do to Len when he finds out where she is. Ena tells Stuart and Swindley that she's not bothered about losing her home - she can always find other accommodation. Elsie relaxes with the television, unware of what Ena's planning. Cast Regular cast *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie *Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens *Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander *Leonard Swindley - Arthur Lowe Guest cast *Mr Hodges - Vernon Joyner *Mrs Gee - Patti Brooks *Mr Gee - Clifford Cox Places *Rovers Return Inn - Public *11 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway *Glad Tidings Mission Hall - Vestry *15 Mawdsley Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway *Gamma Garments Notes *See note to Episode 426 (11th January 1965) for the source of the storyline featuring Norma Gee. *Ena Sharples references the popular 1955-1968 television quiz show Take Your Pick! when entering Gamma Garments lucky dip, saying "And what shall we find in Box 13? A trip to the Bahamas!" *The theme tune playing on Elsie Tanner's television at the end of the episode is that used for Shadow Squad, the 1957-1959 Granada Television series on which Tony Warren got his writing break. *From Episode 172 (6th August 1962) to Episode 459 (5th May 1965) the programme featured a standardised cast list for the regular characters. This means that in this episode the following were credited but did not appear: Florrie Lindley (Betty Alberge), Kenneth Barlow (William Roache), Valerie Barlow (Anne Reid), Lucille Hewitt (Jennifer Moss), Charlie Moffitt (Gordon Rollings) and Irma Ogden (Sandra Gough). *Former programme floor manager and director Richard Everitt became producer with this episode for just four weeks, relinquishing the role with Episode 435 on 10th February 1965. He returned as executive producer from Episode 731 (18th December 1967) to Episode 778 (29th May 1968). *''TV Times'' synopsis: A lucky dip at Gamma Garments and Ena pulls a nasty surprise out of the bag *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 9,390,000 homes (2nd place) Notable dialogue Minnie Caldwell: "Oh, but you can't put Elsie's rent up, Ena. 'Live and let live.'" Ena Sharples: "Oh, well if you're quoting, I'll swap you - 'Render unto Ena the things that are Ena's!'" Category:1965 episodes